Gripping device.



W. C. GLASSQ GRIPPING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 23'. I913.

1,139,76CL Patented May18,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- minesse s THE NORRIS PETERS C0,, F'HOTO:LITHO.. WASHING TON, 11. c.

' W. C. GLASS.

GRIPPING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 23. 1913.

Patented May 18, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- mine-986.5,- Ia/Janie? 9' a. M M

THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON, D.

UNTT

s'rs rarer onrron WILLIAM C. GLASS, OF ROSLINDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED PRINT- ING MACHINERY COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

Original application filed November 8,

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. GLASS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Roslindale, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Gripping Devices, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to gripping devices, and more especially, though not necessarily exclusively, to grippers for sheet feeding mechanisms for presses. It is more particularly applicable to presses of the bed and swinging platen type, but is not limited in its application thereto, as it is also capable of being applied to other types ofpresses, as, for example, presses of the cylinder type. This application is a division of my prior pending application,-Serial No. 730,165.

My invention will be best understood by reference to the following specification, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings of one specific embodiment thereof, while its scope will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims. V

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan of one form of gripper mechanism embodying my invention, certain parts of which are shown partly broken away; Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 22 ofFig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view, partly broken away and shown on an enlarged scale, on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view on line l4 of Fig. 1; and Fig.5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Referringto the drawings, and to the embodiment of my invention which I have selected for illustration, 1 have there shown a gripper mechanism comprising a carrier which may be of any other appropriate character, and otherwise suitablymounted, but herein consisting of a frame intended to have a reciprocatory motion imparted thereto by a mechanism which it will be unnecessary here to describe. This mechanism will, by preference, impart a forward motion to the carrier so thatthe grippers carried thereby will receive and grasp the sheet, and a backward motion to causethe sheet to be carried from one point'to anotheroand then released. The present invention, how- Spec ification of Letters Patent.

: to show but one.

onirrnve DEVICE.

ever, is concerned merely with the carrier, grippers, and gripper operating mechanism.

Mounted in guideways 10 in a side frame member 11, and in guideways 12 in a side frame member 13, are two slides 14 and 15, rigidly connected to each other by rods 16 and 17. This structure constitutes a sliding carrier for the grippers presently to be described. Preferably, the slide 14 is provided with shoulders 18 arranged in sliding contact with a finished face 19 of the side frame member 11, to hold the slide against lateral movement in one direction, while the slide is provided with a groove 20 which receives akey 21 secured to the frame member 11, to hold the slide against lateral movement in an opposite direction. At the other side of the machine, the slide 15 is ,prefen ably without lateral guides, so that the side frame is free to come and go somewhat,

without affecting the position of the slides,

1a and 15.

Mounted in the slides 14: and 15, is a rock shaft 22, the chief purpose of which will be explained presently. Mounted upon the rock shaft 22, and upon the fixed rod 17 is agripper support 23. In practice, two or more of these gripper supports, with their attached parts, will usually be employed, but, since they will be substantial duplicates of each other, it is deemed necessary herein The gripper support is herein'forged to provide a pair ofarms 24., between which is located an arm 25 secured to the rock shaft 22, by means of a key 26 and a clamping screw 27 passing through and threaded( into a split ear 28. Mounted on the gripper support 23 is a gripper 29, which is fixed in the operation of the machine, but preferably capable of lengthwise adjustment, it being provided for this purpose with a dovetailed groove 30, which receives a correspondingly dovetailed guide 31 on the gripper support. As a means foradjusting the gripper longitudinally, it may be provided with a transverse slot 32, having therein the head of an eccentric stud 33, provided with a shank 34, swiveled in the gripper support 23. with a slot 35 to receive a screwdriver, by means of which it may be conveniently rotated to advance or retract the gripper. By longitudinally adjusting the: gripper, the

' Patented May 18, 1915. i

1912, Serial No. 730,165. Divided and this application filed October Serial No. 786,965.

The eccentric stud may be provided point against which the edge of the sheet abuts may be varied to suitcthe' requirements.

The gripper may be secured in the desired position of adgustment by'a clamping screw 36 passing through a longitudinal-slot, 37.

provided in the gripper, said screw being threaded into the gripper support 23. The gripper 29 is provided at its forward end with laterally extending sheet grippingsurfaces 38, preferably having a slight clown.- ward inclination toward their extremities to facilitate the entrance of the edge of the sheet. Coiiperating with these fixed grip ping surfaces are two movable grippers 39 having sheet engaging surfaces 4l0, prefer- V.

ably having a downward inclination corre sponding to that of the surfaces- 38. These I A bell crank movable grippers are preferably mounted on a pivot 41 on the gripper support 23, and said grippers are connected to each other by a pin 42.

45, which. receives the pin 4-2. The bell crank lever is provided with a pair of arms l6, pivoted at 47 to a collar 48 interposed between said arms. The collar4l8 is secured to a rod 49, arranged to slide through a "sleeve 50 pivoted at 51- to. the arm 25, the

latter for that purpose being forked to straddle the sleeve 50. A spring 52 encircling the'rod 49"bears'at one end against the sleeve 50, and at its other end against a I 1'1ut53, threaded onto the rod," and serving as a means of adjustment for the spring. 7 A lock-nut 54: may be provided to secure the nut 53 in the desired position of adjustment.

As a means for rocking vthe shaft 22 to actuate the movable gripper. 39;saidrock shafthas secured thereto an arm 55, havingjournaledthereon arcam roll 56 located in the cam path of a stationary cam 57, secured to the side frame memberjl3. By giving the cam paththeproper shape, it may be caused to utilize a forward and backward movement of the slides 14: and 15, and the described mechanis'm carried thereby, to open and close the grippers. To this end, the

cam is provided with two straightportions .58 and 59, and two d'epressed portions 60 and 61, the latter being shallower than the former. When the'slides 14L and 15, and.

the mechanism carried thereby, are in their retracted position shown in Figs. v2 and it, the grippers are open. .When, however, the slides and mechanism carried thereby start to advance, the c'am roll 56 rises into the straight elevated portion 58 of the cam path, thus acting through the arm .55, rock shaft 22, arm 25, and sleeve 50, to place the'spring 52' under tension, and apply spring pressure to close the grippers 39 upon the sheet, thusgripping the latter firmlyagainst the grip pers 29. The depth of the depression 61 lever 43, secured to a rock shaft 44 mounted in bearings in the gripper support '23,is provided with a forkedv arm is only sufficient to cause the spring pres sure of the grippers upon the sheet to di-.

minish at that point, without entirely. re-

moving the pressure, and hence ther'e'is no danger of the grippers dropping the sheet during their forward movement. In some cases, where the grippers are usedin connection with mechanism for feeding box or carton blanks, and where the latter are to be cut, it is desirable to have thecut eX- tend clear to the other edge of the sheet, and

since the sheet isto beheld in the press by:

thegrippers during the cutting andcreasmg operation, 'itis necessary to provlde the grippers 29 withya notch 62, to permit the,

sheet to be cut clear up to its front edge, without interference with the grippers. I

As already stated,.the carrier may be given a forward and backward motion by any appropriate mechanism, which it will I be unnecessary here to describe, since it forms no essential part of lily-present in-' yention, -.It will be understood, however, that the cam 57 18 adapted to operate the lever or arm 25 positively for both opening.

and closing the grippers29 and 39, and that the spring 52 is adapted to be moved bodily I by the operative movement of said lever, and

is adaptedto cause said grippers to close upon the-complete closing movement of said lever. Itw1ll also be observed that, during details or relative arrangement of parts,'nor

.to its specific embodiment herein shown, but

that extensive deviations from the illustrated form or embodiment of-theinvention may be made, without departing from the principles thereof. 7

Having thus describedmy invention, what, I claim, and desire by Letters Patent to procure, 1s

v1. Thecombination of a carrier, a plu- I rality of grippers'mounted thereon, a lever connected withsaid grippers,by a stroke of which lever said grippersare operated, and Cam-mechanism adapted to operate said lever positively for both opening and clos 'ing saidgrippers, the connections between said grippers and saidflever comprising a spring adapted to cause said grippers to close upon the complete closing movement of said lever. V g

2. The combination of a carrier, 7 aplu rality of, grippers mounted thereon, a lever connected with said grippers, by a strokeofwhich lever said grippers are operated, and cam-mechanism adapted to operate said lever positively for both opening and closing said grippers, the connections between said grippers and said lever comprising a spring adapted to be moved bodily by the operative movement of said lever and adapted to cause said grippers to close upon the complete closing movement of said lever.

8. The combination of a carrier, a plurality of grippers mounted thereon, an actuating member connected with said grippers, by a stroke of which member said grippers are operated, and mechanism adapted positively to operate said member for both opening and closing said grippers, the connections between said grippers and said member comprising yielding means adapted to cause said grippers to close upon the complete closing movement of said member.

l. The combination of a carrier, a plurality of grippers mounted thereon, an actuating member connected with said grippers, by a stroke of which member said grippers are operated, and mechanism adapted positively to operate said member for both opening and closing said grippers, the connections between said grippers and said member comprising yielding means adapted to be moved bodily by the operative movement of said member and adapted to cause said grippers to close upon the complete closing movement of said member.

5. The combination of a carrier, a plurality of grippers mounted thereon, an actuating member connected with said grippers, by a stroke of which member said grippers are operated, and mechanism adapted to operate said member for both opening and closing said grippers, said mechanism comprising a positively acting fixed travel actuator, and the connections between said actuator and said grippers comprising yielding means adapted to cause said grippers to close upon complete closing movement of said member.

6. The combination of a carrier, a plurality of grippers mounted thereon, an actuating member connected with said grippers by a stroke of which member said grippers are operated, means for imparting'a positive to and fro movement to said member, and yielding means interposed between said member and one of said grippers whereby the latter are closed with yielding pressure.

7. The combination of a carrier, gripping means mounted thereon, a rockshaft mounted on said carrier and connected to said gripping means positively to open the same, means to impart a positive rocking motion 'to said rockshaft, and yielding means interposed between said rockshaft and said gripping means whereby the latter is closed with. yielding pressure and opened positively.

8. The combination of a carrier, gripping means mounted thereon, an actuator mounted on said carrier, and connected to said gripping means positively to open the same, means to impart a positive to and fro motion to said actuator, and yielding means interposed between said actuator and said gripping means whereby the latter is closed with yielding pressure and opened positively.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

'WILLIAM G. GLASS.

Witnesses:

' LOUIS A. Jones,

CLARA L. STUART.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

